This weblog was created to act as a platform for the voice of secular pro-democracy activists in and outside Iran who are struggling against the religious dictatorship of the Islamic clerics in Iran.
My favourite quote:
"Evil only prevails when the good stay silent"

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

This is a new footage just received from 11th February protests in the Aryashahr district in Tehran. It shows two young citizen journalist girls being arrested by security forces. One Special Unit guard comes off his bike and starts beating the girls with what seems like a cable or chain. The girls start screaming and the youth come to their rescue, making the Special Unit scums run away like the cowards that they are.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Legendary Iranian singer, Ebi will be performing in the Royal Albert Hall, London on April 20th. There is a difference to this concert from the other Iranian concerts being performed these days for the Nowruz celebrations. This concert is being organised by the Persian Community for Multiple Sclerosis (PC4MS), whose aim is to raise awareness of MS and its prevalence in Persian communities, as well as helping to fund research into MS. All the profits from this concert will go to UK-registered charities and the largest portion will be donated to the MS Society for use in research.
See: Royal Albert Hall Tickets/Ebi

Ebi is also a staunch supporter of the Green Movement. So what would be more appropriate to turn up for the concert with pictures of Hamed Rouhinejad, the Iranian philosophy student from Beheshti university who suffers from MS and was arrested 40 days before last June's elections and sentenced to execution. His death sentence seems to have been commuted now but Hamed has been detained in Evin prison ever since.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Mohammad Nourizad, the imprisoned Iranian film director and journalist, was given a chance to call his family after 93 days in solitary confinement. During a conversation which lasted only five minutes, Nourizad wished a happy Iranian New Year to his wife and two children and told them 'It is not important how long I remain here, what is important is that when I come out of here I be able to hold my head high'.

Monday, March 22, 2010

When it comes to entertainment, Googoosh is a legend amongst Iranians and even amongst other Persian speaking nations beyond Iran's borders. Googoosh has been performing for 56 years since she was three years old. Not only she is a supreme singer with the greatest of vocals but she is a complete all rounder on stage.

At a sell out concert in the Wembley arena last night, marking the Iranian New Year, Googoosh came on stage and straight away wished for a free Green Iran in the new Iranian year. Many Iranian artists avoid getting involved in politics thinking it may alienate some of their fans but Googoosh is one of those giants in Iranian entertainment who doesn't need to worry about a few timid expats unconcerned with what goes on in Iran.

After Googoosh dazzled and electrified the audience with her incredible performances in the first half, she came back on stage after the break dressed in a new chic attire with tears in her eyes and emotions running high, she pointed to Anthony Thomas, the veteran anti-apartheid campaigner and accomplished documentary director/producer sitting in the audience and thanked him for making a new documentary about Neda. Anthony Thomas had found out during the making of the film form Neda's friends how much Neda loved one of Googoosh's old songs, 'Never Forget Me'. The seven thousand crowd in Wembley Arena got up and applauded both Googoosh and Anthony Thomas. Googoosh managed to wipe her tears off, and sing a very emotional version of her ' Get to Know Me and Never Forget Me' for Neda. Once again the whole audience rose up and amongst constant applause some started shouting 'Nedaye ma namorde' - 'Our Neda Hasn't died' Neda meaning voice in Persian it was also meant to appreciate Googoosh's fifty six years of singing consistently at the highest standard.

A member of the audience walked up to the stage and threw a green wrist band with 'Free Iran' written on it. Googoosh picked up the wrist band, put it on her wrist and raided her arm with a clinched fist symbolising the resistance of the struggle by the Iranians, and by doing so once again she moved an appreciative audience into yet another peak of exceptional joy and elation.

It was such a pleasure to see so many thousands of Iranians so truly happy and yet not forgetting the struggle in Iran. One wondered where else in the world can you find a country whose people are so vastly apart from those who rule over them?

For me there was another special moment, when googoosh sang one of her old songs, Kooh, the Mountain. The tall proud mountain that always holds his head high, strong and impassable. It brought back so many memories and I remembered how I always listened to it when I was down. It was just what I needed to re-charge may batteries for the new year.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Wherever I have been and whatever sky I have slept under, I have always been with you my homeland,
and now if I am tired because of a dagger in my back, whether I am still standing or already fallen, it has been for you, its been in your path
My Homeland, My Homeland, You stay Green and Immortal Forever!

Its now just a few hours to Nowruz, usually I am very bubbly and happy and looking forward to the celebrations. This year I feel however all my energy has been sapped and all my strength has gone out of me.

You may think its all the Iran related work I do that has caused my exhaustion but actually I am battling on another front with the Child Support Agency. Perhaps I shouldn't be writing about it here but its the only platform I got and I need to shout somewhere. CSA is a criminal organisation which behaves like a protection racket with the full backing of the state. It is a government department which has no concern with the well being of a child which makes fathers and children poorer but lawyers richer. A department whose focus is only to achieve targets by extortion from good fathers who want to look after their children.

It has taken this criminal organisation sixteen months to accept I have a new born which simply amazes me. How is it that they follow me from home, go through my credit card spendings and yet they can not verify such a fact from birth registrations. But I will re-cooperate and I will get my strength back and I will stand up to anyone who tries to bully me.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Despite a huge volume of protests against the Embassy of Islamic Republic of Iran holding its dinner party tomorrow at Kensington Town Hall, the Tory controlled council today refused to heed to all the protest emails and phone calls and has allowed the pro-Ahmadinejad organised event to go ahead. In the beginning the booking officer Matthew Brown (matthew.brown@rbkc@gov.uk) expressed his astonishment that the event was organised by the embassy. Matthew Brown claimed the council was told a non-political 'cultural group' had booked the Town Hall for the event and asked for evidence contrary to this understanding.

The evidence of course was in black and white, the event was publicised on the website of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic http://icrolondonevents.com/norooz89/
Which read the Cultural Council of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran invites all those interested for a celebration party on Saturday 20th March in the Kensington Town Hall. Mathew Brown and the leader of the council, Merrick Cockell were notified of this embassy advertisement several times by many. Yet at the end, the Royal Borough of Cambridge and Chelsea lied on its website and Jennifer Allott (jennifer.allott@rbkc.gov.uk) came up with this nonsense statement: http://rbkc.gov.uk/newsroom/councilstatements/iraniannewyearevent.aspx
that a booking was made to use Kensington Town Hall by an 'Iranian cultural group' for a celebration.No evidence has been produced that this event is anything other than a new year celebration.'
The so-called non-government related Iranian 'Cultural Group' was never named.

It was also further explained to the Tory council how Ahmadinejad's administration uses these events like the ones held on previous occasions in the Millenium Hotel, Gloucester Road or Wolfson College, Cambridge for its propaganda purposes to demoralise the Iranian protesters in Iran. By publicising such gatherings on Iranian state TV and pro-Ahmadinejad websites, in effect they tell the people of Iran, its business as usual for us abroad. The message they send to the Iranian people is no one is standing by you, no one cares for your struggle for democracy, no one is treating us as an illegitimate government, no one is questioning the mass detentions in Iran, the executions and the show trials, we have the petro-Dollars and we can buy whoever we want.

We ask the international community what is it that we are asking you that seems too much to ask? We ask you for international solidarity, you march for Guantanamo detainees, that's fine but how about marching for an Iranian teenager who has been gang raped in Kahrizak prison, after taking part in a peaceful protest simply asking 'where is my vote?,' once in a while? Why is it too much to ask to march just once for the likes of Nedas and Sohrabs and the way even their graves are being desecrated and their families are being harassed?

We ask the students and academics to stand up for the plight of their colleagues in Iran and question such brutal attacks on students of Tehran university shown in this footage taken by Iran's security forces themselveshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnHK6jAcsi4

We ask you not to allow your universities, town halls and hotels to be used for propaganda platforms by the coup administration in Iran.

We ask you to stand up to the regime in Iran for breaking all international broadcasting conventions by jamming the satellite signals to Iran while the regime continues to use the same broadcasting platforms for spreading their own propagandas and lies in just about every language with total impunity.

We ask you to stand up to the regime in Iran for denying the Iranian people access to the internet and freedom of information.

We ask you not to allow your companies to sell torture equipment, eavesdropping and spying facilities to the messianic junta in Iran, so that the dissidents in Iran could not so easily be tracked and arrested.

The victory of the Green Movement in Iran will lead to a more peaceful and tolerant Middle East, is this not enough incentive for you? Are you not touched by the humanity, the exceptional compassion and the magnanimity of the Iranian protesters when they capture and disarm a vicious Special Unit guard?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttxINV_EF50&feature=player_embedded

What is it that we are asking you that is too much? Your councils and your government agencies are more keen on cracking down on the motorists and divorced fathers, any thing that generates revenue for them, than standing up to a totalitarian thugocracy state that backs and funds international terrorism. Stand up to your spineless officials, you have the privilege of not ending up in Kahrizak or Evin prison if you protest, show some grit or they will continue to walk all over you and risk the future security of your children.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Its one year today since the Iranian blogger, Omid Mir Sayafi died in suspicious circumstances in Evin prison. Omid blogged about his main passion in life which was Persian classical music but made one grave error when he posed the following question on his blog:'Mr. Khamenei Can you love me as much as you love Sheikh Nasrollah's son?'

Lets remember him and lets remember the longer the life of this regime is prolonged the more Omids will be missing amongst us.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Neither the fatwa nor all the intimidation and nor the exceptional showing of eleven Hollywood blockbusters on the state TV kept the people of Iran at home tonight. Once again they came out, jumped over fires, risked their lives and chanted 'Death to the dictator'. The flame of Zoroaster burned brighter than ever throughout Iran tonight.

Monday, March 15, 2010

On Sunday, the Supreme Leader made it easy for all of us by issuing a fatwa against the pre-Islamic festival of fire. The Supreme Leader's fatwa said 'The festival is against the Sharia and is a requisite for much harm and corruption and it is appropriate that it be avoided'.

Now every Iranian household who performs the festival tomorrow evening to preserve our nation's identity and heritage will be directly challenging the Supreme Leader's rule. Throughout our history, many usurpers have tried to ban and eliminate Nowruz and the Festival of Fire, but these national celebrations have survived and the usurpers have been defeated. The Supreme Leader has now dug his own grave further by issuing this Fatwa. Iranians have different facial features, different shades of skin colour, speak different dialects, have different religions but Nowruz and the Fire Festival still unite us within and beyond our borders. Those who wish to see Nowruz and the Fire Festival doomed will be doomed themselves.

Across Iran from Kurdistan to Khorassan and from Azarabadegan to Sistan, the flames of Zoroaster will illuminate the darks skies of our country and tell the worshippers of darkness that Iran will never die.

Imagine if your house is attacked by a group of fifty or so thugs like shown in these pictures. Imagine in your desperation all you can do is call the police, but when the police comes, the gang leader of the thugs approaches the police commander, has a word in his ear and the police commander sheepishly obliges by returning his men back to the police station and the thugs continue vandalising your house.

This is the so called Islamic Republic of Iran, where in broad day light a cleric's house is attacked and vandalised without his innocent neighbours being spared either and without any attempt by the authorities to arrest the perpetrators. A lawless country where hired thugs rule the streets.

These are pictures of the attacks on Karrubi's house.

and meanwhile hapless UK academics and gutless UK students play their part in making Islamic Republic look like a respectable government abroad without raising an eyebrow against the plight of their counterparts in Iran. Here is the Islamic Republic cultural attaché hosting Cambridge university's Wolfson College with a 'halal' dinner party.

To find out more about what happened at Wolfson College, contact the president of the College, Gordon Johnson at gj206@cam.ac.uk

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Vaclav Havel congratulates the Iranian students and tells them not to lose hope:

"Of course all of us are interested in Iran's nuclear program and the nature of the current regime, just as we are interested in the abuses committed under the flag of Islam and whether or not the 2009 election was rigged. However, what I am most interested in are the brutal violations of human rights. I found myself in high political position thanks to peaceful public demonstrations and thanks to the students, who led them and made them happen. As a result, I have an elevated sensitivity for certain things and am deeply outraged and shocked that for participating in similar demonstrations in Iran, people are not only being sentenced to several years in prison, but are even being executed. It seems to me like an endless barbarity and I firmly believe this savagery is about to come to an end.

"I congratulate Majid Tavakoli and Abdollah Momeni for receiving the Homo Homini Award. I am glad that the prize has been given to them and I wish for them not to lose hope."

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Hojat-ol-Islam Ahmad Ghabel was on his way to the funeral of Ayatollah Montazeri when he was arrested in Mashad. After seventy days of being incarcerated in the Intelligence Ministry Bureau of Mashad, he was taken to the quarantine wing of Mashad's Vakil Abad prison.

In a brief contact he was allowed with his family, Hojat-ol-Islam Ghabel told them, they took me to the Revolutionary Court while my hands and feet were chained. I told them 'You intend to humiliate me by putting me in chains but I see nothing other than splendour in this'.

Although Ghabel's house and passport have been confiscated by the Special Court for the Clergy, the SCC refuses to conduct his trial saying it does not even recognise Ghabel as a valid clergy.

Truly this Green Movement is an epic of resistance against tyranny in which all its adherents whether academic, worker, artist, writer, clergy or whatever part of the Iranian society they are from are making legends that will be remembered forever by Iranians in the next generations.

No one knows the plight of Iranian people like those who have also lived under the rule of totalitarian states. Two activists and representatives of Iran's student movement, Abdollah Momeni and Majid Tavakoli, are this year's recipients of the Homo Homini Award, which is awarded annually by the Czech NGO People in Need "in recognition of a dedication to the promotion of human rights, democracy, and nonviolent solutions to political conflicts."

Thank you very much to the people of Czech Republic, nice to know that not everyone is like SOAS lecturer Anna Contadini.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

When Galloway started going on about the UK police brutality towards the Gaza protesters in London, these were the images of police brutality that went through my head, real vicious sadistic brutality that Galloway chose to ignore. The crimes that the Stop the War worshippers of Galloway do not want to know about.

I have written many times before about the dreadful plight of Mohammad Maleki, Iran's first chancellor of the Tehran university after the revolution. This 76 year old roaring lion who has resisted all pressures against him to appear before camera and make 'confessions' or ask for forgiveness has now been charged with being a mohareb, that means someone who takes up arms and wages war against God, punishable by death in the Islamic Republic.

Maleki was imprisoned many times under the Shah and has been imprisoned many times in the Islamic Republic. This is one courageous man who has NEVER stood silent when evil has prevailed. Maleki is among the oldest dissidents to have been jailed in Iran's post election protests. He was being treated for prostate cancer before his arrest. Yet when they came to arrest him, this roaring lion replied 'I was afraid you may let me die in my bed'.

Despite such injustices against our academics and students, the likes of UK lecturer, Anna Contadini have no moral dilemma to accept an award from Ahmadinejad. An award in 'Creating Human Values' of all awards for Anna Contadini handed out by the head of the junta himself! Words fail me! They really do..

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Ahmadinejad's Neo-Nazi adviser, Mohammad Ali Ramin, currently the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Press Deputy, has come up with new threats against dissident journalists in Iran. Apart from show trials, long prison sentences, physical assault and extra judicial murders, Ramin threatened to strip the 'guilty' journalists from all their citizenship rights.

The picture below shows Ramin at the award ceremony during which SOAS lecturers, Anna Contadini and Mohammad Abdul Haleem received their awards from Ahmadinejad himself. Anna Contadini received an award in Creation of Human Values from Ahmadinejad!
'har dam az in bagh bari miresad' as we say in Persian. Word by word translation 'a new fruit arrives from this garden every moment' basically it means 'nothing ever surprises us any more' with these UK academics.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

The Iranian student body, 'Office to Foster Unity' has protested strongly against the death sentence passed against one of its members, the 20 year old Mohammad Amin Valian from Damghan University.

Valian was also one of the volunteers in Moussavi's election campaign.

'Not only the sentence passed against our member for merely defending himself during the Ashura protests is outrageous, but the fact that it has taken place so soon after the latest footage of the vicious attack on Tehran university has shocked and astounded the Iranian university community and Iran's civil society' The OCU statement reads.

Valian's death sentence is therefore confirmed news; the basis on which the death sentence is passed however is not verified and in the absence of independent reporters in Iran, rumours are spreading that Judge Salavati who is said to have passed the sentence is alleged to have done so based on a Fatwa by Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

I was informed by my friend, Peyvand Khorsandi about a Stop the War meeting in the House of Commons tonight where Galloway was speaking. We decided to go along and meet this stooge of dictators face to face. While queuing to go through the security, we told the policeman who was directing the people to different queues that we were going to Committee Room 19. Two of the Stop the War enthusiasts heard us and cheerily said to us 'Oh we are going to the same meeting as well. Are you Palestenians?' To which we replied 'We like Palestinians but we are Iranians'. The two women got even more excited and replied 'Oh we also support Iran against the West!'. They must have thought all Iranians support the regime in Iran. When I replied 'So why don't you go and live in Iran and allow two Iranian women to come here in your place and enjoy the same privileges you enjoy in the West', their initial enthusiasm was quickly turned into a shock. What a disappointment for them to find out we were not in the same ilk as them.

I asked them if they liked Galloway who used to be best pals with Saddam Hussein and his murderous son, Uday Hussein. They shook their heads and refused to believe that Galloway ever had anything to do with Saddam. I asked them if they would like to give me their emails so I could send them the video links of Galloway calling Uday 'Your excellency' and telling him 'That he is with them to the end'. The two Stop the War devotees however were not what you would call open minded people, more like ostridges with their heads buried in the sand who did not want to know the truth or discuss alternative opinions. They even said 'We are going to tell 'them' to stop you from coming to the meeting' and moved ahead of the queue away from us. So much for open debate and free discussion with these 'useful idiots'.

You have received an award from the Islamic Republic and specifically from Ahmadienjad himself. Apparently this award has been presented to you in appreciation of your efforts for promoting a culture of human values.

Are you aware that the hands which gave you this award are stained in the blood of writers and researchers of Iran?

Are you aware that the Islamic Republic is a place of torture and execution for Iranian dissidents?

Are you aware that the Writers Association has not been able to hold one public conference in the last thirty years as an independent writers association?

Are you aware that many members of the Writers Association are currently in jails and under torture merely for expressing their opinions?

About Me

Follow Me on Twitter @potkazar
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Last time I was in Iran, was during the Islamic "cultural revolution". I hated what was taking place in front of my eyes.
Illiterate gangs of thugs attacking students and academics and telling them how a university must be run! Book stalls being attacked, with books torn up and burned.
I knew then that I had to do something to get rid of this scourge of clerics who had seized power in Iran.
My main objective in life is to help establish a secular democracy in Iran.
I believe the best way forward for Iran to be based on four pillars of Democracy, Secularism, Nationalism and Meritocracy.
Most countries that have adopted these principles have been prosperous, why shouldn't our people be one of them?